Aceh councillor killed by assailant

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

An unidentified man in a "military-like" uniform killed an Aceh provincial legislative councillor from the Crescent Star Party (PBB) late Monday evening, adding to the number of legislators who had been murdered in the past two years.

The councillor, Taslim A. Jalil, 40, was killed at his residence in Meunasah village, Lhoknga regency, Aceh Besar, some 15 kilometers away from Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam provincial capital of Banda Aceh.

According to Taslim's daughter, Lira, 16, an unidentified man knocked at the door at around 11:30 p.m. Monday. The man, holding a rifle, asked for a glass of water, saying that he was thirsty.

"My uncle gave him a glass of water while my father (Taslim) stood near the door. It happened so quickly that as the man finished drinking and said thanks for the water, he suddenly shot my father. There were four shots, two missed and the remaining two hit my father," Lira said.

After shooting Taslim, the man fled on a motorcycle which was idling in front of the house, Lira said.

The shooting caused panic among the villagers who then rushed to the site of the incident, where Juned, 45, Taslim's cousin, suddenly died, possibly of a heart attack, upon hearing of the murder.

Taslim died of bullet wounds to his chest and arm, prior to arrival at the Zainal Abidin Hospital in Banda Aceh. His body was buried at a public cemetery in Lamlhon village later on Tuesday.

Following the killing of Taslim, local police precinct chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Heru Budi Ersanto was quick to blame the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for the killing, claiming that the killer had purposely worn a military uniform, in order to shift the blame to the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Similarly, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf said while quoting witnesses that two men in Army-like outfits with rifles, who had gunned down Taslim, were allegedly GAM members.

The allegation was denied by GAM spokesman for Aceh Besar region Tengku Muksalmina, saying: "GAM would never kill an Acehnese, especially Taslim, who was known here for his concern for the people."

Muksalmina accused the TNI of being behind the shootings, saying that TNI troops recently held sweeping operations in the village, in search of GAM members.

Taslim was the 10th Acehnese figure to be killed in the province in the past two years.

Assassinated Aceh politicians (Name, Position, Date of Death): 1. Tengku Nashruddin Daud, PPP legislator, January 2000; 2. Jafar Siddiq Hamzah, New York-based IFA chief, 2000; 3. Tengku Ilyas Ibrahim, North Aceh PPP councillor, 2000; 4. Safwan Idris, IAIN Ar-Raniry rector, 2000; 5. Muhammad Kamal, Security Monitor, Feb. 30, 2001; 6. Sufrin Sulaiman, Lawyer, Feb. 30, 2001; 7. Teuku Djohan, Fmr. Aceh vice governor, May 10, 2001; 8. Zaini Sulaiman, Aceh provincial legislator, Sept. 1, 2001; 9. Dayan Dawood, Syah Kuala Univ. rector, Sept. 9, 2001; 10. Taslim A. Jalil, Aceh provincial legislator, June 10, 2002.